Why did you pick this program?
I picked IVHQ because they were not affiliated with any religion and they were extremely affordable compared to many programs out there.
What do you tell your friends who are thinking about going abroad?
Do it! Volunteering abroad does not only leave yourself with a sense of fulfillment and bewilderment at the differences in lifestyles, it is also a great way to really experience a culture and see the world.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
Be open-minded. You will experience different foods, ways of transportation, people, society norms...smells... leave the judgement behind and embrace everything and everyone around you.
If you accept the experience whole-heartedly, you will make friendships that can last a lifetime, create stories that you will never get tired of sharing, and enjoy some amazing churros while you're at it.
What's your favorite story to tell about your time abroad?
After dinner one night, a group of volunteers, mostly female, went to a local park to play some futbol. We found some young men, probably between the ages of 15 - 18 to play with. Most of us didn't speak much spanish but we understood that the boys thought this would be an easy match.
The game began and within seconds I score a goal against them. I have never seen a team turn on each other as the boys did. They were not happy that the "gringa" scored and they soon respected that we could play. It was such a fun night interacting with the locals!
What are 5 key tips on surviving Peru?
1. Only get in a cab that has the numbers on top and the checkered pattern on the side, there are a lot of "fake" cabs out there.
2. Negotiate price on everything outside of restaurants
3. Restaurants will try to convince you to eat with them by offering deals... you can get the same deal at pretty much any restaurant around there. Choose based on atmosphere
4. Don't eat ceviche past 2 pm (the fish sits out all day)
5. Bring hand sanitizer... you'll understand why when you get there :)